


Awww, Flirting, No...

by pherryt



Series: Clint Barton Bingo [3]
Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Bad Flirting, Cheesy Lines, First Kiss, Flirting, M/M, Mutual Pining, Oblivious, bingo square, bucky pov, everyone lives in the tower, post winter soldier, reckless clint, side steve/sam
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-03
Updated: 2019-05-03
Packaged: 2020-02-16 11:28:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,774
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18690577
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pherryt/pseuds/pherryt
Summary: Bucky's settled in at the Tower and has integrated with the team but now he has a new challenge ahead of him...How do you court people these days anyway? Has he lost all his charm or is Clint just oblivious?





	Awww, Flirting, No...

**Author's Note:**

  * For [li_izumi](https://archiveofourown.org/users/li_izumi/gifts).



> For my Clint Barton Bingo - square: Flirting - as picked out by li_izumi  
> thank you to feathers from beta'ing :D
> 
> also, i have a bigger winterhawk story coming - i don't know when though. it was supposed to be a one shot for the reverseprompt blogs current visual prompt and... it kinda went out of control. wish me luck.

Bucky stared after Hawkeye and shook his head. _Get your head in the game, Barnes_ , he chastised himself. _Stop staring after Clint’s ass and focus on the mission_.

Of course, focusing on the mission was hard to do when Clint continued to banter and flirt over coms the whole time. The man was a natural flirt, with everyone, and didn’t even seem to realize he was doing it. Or he didn’t care. Or… or… Bucky didn’t even know.

He’d been living at the Avengers Tower for over a year now, first staying with Steve till they got the fucked up mess HYDRA had turned his mind into all straightened out, and then in his own apartments.

They were too big and too lonely. Except for his time as the Winter Soldier – a time better left unremembered if he could help it – he’d always lived and slept in close, cramped quarters. The tiny apartment with his mom and sister. Sleeping in the barracks with other soldiers. These rooms were too empty and silent and Bucky wound up staying in the common rooms more often than not with all the clutter of a lived-in space even when it was empty – and it wasn’t often empty, depending on the time of day.

Or night.

And it wasn’t like he needed much sleep, so for the most part, he could avoid his rooms. Which was when he started running into Clint more often. When he was there and not at his place in Bed-Stuy, anyway.

The first time was in the middle of the night, Clint plagued by nightmares that set his sleeping schedule askew. From what Bucky could tell, all the Avengers had nightmares of varying degrees. He knew _he_ certainly did. So he never pressed. Clint wasn’t the only one who wandered into the common areas at night due to nightmares, but he was the one Bucky ran into most often.

At first, they stayed silent in solidarity, Clint never asking why Bucky was there, never intruding. They simply offered each other the warm comfort of a presence. Soon it devolved into Clint sharing his favorite shows and movies with him, which further haltingly developed into midnight chats over coffee and sometimes alcohol.

Or alcohol infused coffee. Clint really, _really_ liked coffee.

Then they started running into each other at the range, Bucky impressed by Clint’s skill. When they were on a mission, Bucky was often way too busy being in the thick of everything to take notice of what Hawkeye was doing. Their practices turned into challenges, aided and abetted by both JARVIS and Tony who not only came up with the challenges, but turned around and took bets on who would win.

They were pretty evenly matched but when a winner emerged, it was usually Clint.

The more and more time they spent together, the better Bucky knew Clint, the deeper he sank into trouble before even realizing it.

Then one day, he caught himself smiling dreamily as Clint laughed at something Steve had said, watching his eyes sparkle, Bucky’s breath catching at the way he laughed and he _knew._

He was sweet on Clint Barton.

Did they even call it that these days?

The smile had dropped from his face and he’d run out of the common area, as if the whole of HYDRA was on his heels, ignoring the concerned and shocked looks on everyone’s faces as he did.

He slammed the door to his rooms shut and then fell against them, breathing hard. He had to remember that times were different now. It was okay to like dames _or_ fellas. It was okay to like Clint. But Clint… Bucky had no idea which he preferred, or if Clint would get offended by being pursued by Bucky.

Back in his day, that could go so horribly, horribly wrong. Bucky needed to gauge his possible interest, but how?

Dammit, Bucky used to be so good at this. He’d been so smooth; he’d never wanted for a date – even got Steve a few back in the day. Dames had liked his flowers, and enjoyed his compliments, had loved to go out dancing and had preened under his attention, but now…

Times had changed. _People_ had changed. Dancing wasn’t anything like he remembered and folks didn’t have to hide anymore. Bucky was free to pursue a fella if he wanted, and boy did he want – but how?

Did fellas even like flowers? Well, _he_ was a fella, would _he_ like a flower? Bucky wasn’t too sure. Maybe if it came from the right person. Better start with something less confusing.

 _Clint was graceful_ , Bucky mused. _Bet he’d be a good dancer but… well,_ **_dancing_ **.

If movie night was to be trusted, things had changed very drastically when it came to dancing, making Bucky blush at the thought of doing some of _that_ in public view.

He sighed. So dancing was out. Well. Compliments and flirting, then. And attention. That was the way to go, right? At least, it was a start.

Maybe he should ask Steve – No! No, not going to happen. Steve would be so incredulously shocked at Bucky’s sudden inability to score a date that Bucky didn’t think he could stand it.

* * * * * *  >>\----------> * * * * **

Turned out, the problem with flirting was that Clint flirted with _everybody_ . How had Bucky not _noticed_ it before? It seemed to be something of a second nature to him. Easy compliments and tongue in cheek innuendo’s just rolling off his tongue.

If Bucky flirted back, Clint just didn’t notice it.

Not that he hadn’t tried. Because he had and it had definitely backfired.

He’d started small, cornering Clint in the kitchen while they waited for the coffee to brew. They leaned against the counter, side by side, Bucky itching to close the space between them but counseling himself patience. When Clint handed him his mug, he took a breath and took the plunge.

“Thanks, doll,” he said, sending him a smile. There. You didn’t use endearments like that for your brothers in arms.

“You’re welcome, sweet cheeks,” Clint answered back with a cheeky grin.

Bucky felt heat rise on his face and Clint grinned at him. “Awww… you’re so _cute_ when you blush.”

“I’m not blushing. And I’m not cute,” Bucky spluttered.

“Oh yeah, you are. And I’m gonna make you blush as often as I can. Just watch.”

Nat, Steve and Sam came in just then and Clint’s face lit up. “Hey guys, don’t you think Bucky’s just adorable when he blushes? I think he even beats out Cap over there.”

“Gotta say, I’m disinclined to agree with that,” Sam said, arms crossed over his chest and shaking his head with an easy smile. “Pretty sure Steve’s cuter.”

Clint pouted. “Aww… you have to say that because you guys are dating. That’s okay. Nat, you agree with me, right?”

“Oh, I’m not getting involved in this,” she said. Steve just stood there blushing, taking Sam’s hand in his while they gazed into each other’s eyes softly.

Well. That hadn’t gone as planned.

* * * * * *  >>\----------> * * * * **

"If I said you had a nice body, would you hold it against me?" he asked one time, down at the range, eyes practically glued to Clint’s biceps. He almost winced at how broadly _open_ that was, the innuendo just _right there._ Surely this would get him a punch in the mouth -

Clint chuckled. “Nah, you’re not so bad yourself. Don’t worry, Barnes, I won’t take offense.” He flashed a cheeky grin – those grins were going to _kill_ Bucky, he just knew it - and sauntered off after slapping Bucky on the back and leaving him there gaping.

Okay. That had been lame, but how had Clint missed it so badly? Unless… maybe he’d _wanted_ to miss it?

He’d just have to try again, see if he could test that theory and get a concrete, definitive answer.

* * * * * *  >>\----------> * * * * **

Bucky hovered by the kitchen counter nervously, willing his words to come out clear this time. If flirting wasn’t going to work, maybe he should just go all in, ask Clint to go out with him. there was no mistaking that, right?

“So uh… I heard a new pizza joint just opened up a couple blocks down. Want to go and check it out, you and me?”

Clint’s face lit up and Bucky relaxed. “Pizza? Count me in.”

It was an easy walk to the new pizza place, Clint bouncing eagerly nearly the whole way there. Bucky couldn’t take his eyes off him, a smile hovering around the edges of his mouth. Bucky didn’t smile as much as he’d used to, before HYDRA, before the war. But hell if Clint didn’t make him smile just by being around.

Nervous as he was, the conversation was a little more stilted then Bucky had hoped for, but all in all, the night seemed to be going well. Clint was enjoying himself, the food was good, and it was just the two of them. on a date. Giddiness wrapped itself around Bucky and he tried to hide it, taking a swallow of his beer.

Clint groaned as he wiped his mouth with his napkin and Bucky had to stop himself from staring. Again. “Man, this was such a great team bonding exercise. Way to jump all over Caps email like that.”

It was as if they’d tossed him right back into cryofreeze because Bucky froze, all the good feelings gathering over the night, all the hopeful butterflies, sinking down and dragging him with them.

What email? Team bonding exercise? Was that why Clint had said yes? So this… this _hadn’t_ been a date after all?

Bucky laughed nervously because now what was he supposed to do?

He’d been planning a stop at Clint’s favorite coffee place after, a place that also served some really good pastries, but Bucky’s mood had plummeted too much to even contemplate it.

He got home to find that Steve had, indeed, sent an email encouraging everyone to mingle more, so that it would be conducive to a smoother fighting flow.

_Dammit Steve._

* * * * * *  >>\----------> * * * * **

Missions were so much harder these days. Now that he was keenly aware of Clint, Bucky couldn’t help but try to keep an eye on him. Which was stupid, because Clint could take care of himself. His accuracy and reflexes were amazing.

“Eyes on target, Barnes,” Tony snarked over coms. “What, are you daydreaming or something? Time and place, buster.”  
  
Bucky jerked his gaze from where he’d been scanning the rooftops, trying to pinpoint where Hawkeye had roosted, and scowled over at Tony, Tony ignoring him because he was good at that.  
  
“You’re one to talk,” Steve chastised Tony. Tony didn’t answer, just flipped him a salute as he passed by.  
  
They were quickly embroiled in a battle against doombots – a veritable swarm of them as usual – and his attention had finally been put where it needed to be. He jerked back from the remains of one bot and moved to take out another, the movements all instinct, letting his momentum guide him, when a shout made Bucky look up –  
  
“We got a bird in the sky!” Cap yelled.  
  
“Fuck!” he shouted back, noting that neither Falcon nor Iron Man were close enough. He sprinted forward and used the top of another bot to launch himself up to grab Barton as he fell. Hawkeye didn’t stop firing once as Bucky cushioned his fall, twisting to take the brunt of it.  
  
The breath knocked out of him, he anxiously checked Clint over with his eyes, unable to make his hands let go. His hands may have actually roved a bit, checking for wounds, but that was it.  
  
“What the hell?” Bucky gritted out when he finally caught his breath. He glared at Clint who seemed not the least bit repentant. “Did you throw yourself off a building on purpose?”  
  
Clint grinned. “Needed an exit and it worked. Plus, we’re a team. Knew one of you guys would catch me.” He batted his eyes at Bucky. “And you did! _My hero!”_  
  
Bucky gaped at Clint in horrified disbelief.  
  
Clint squirmed to get loose, his grin getting wider. “So, is that a gun in your pocket or are you happy to see me?”  
  
“What? Of course not – that’s a stupid place to put a gun, you should know that,” Bucky groused as they helped each other up. What a weird question. Still, he could use this to his advantage, right? “Besides, I’m always happy to see you.”  
  
Clint laughed and clapped his back as he stood. “Good one, Barnes!”  
  
Hawkeye sauntered off back into the fray leaving Bucky there standing and staring as he tried to puzzle out how that had backfired this time.  
  
A blast beside him spurred him back into motion as Tony flew past, looped up and back and landed beside him, raising his faceplate long enough to say, "You really have no idea what you’re doing, do you Barnes?"  
  
He glared at Tony even as he took down another bot. Tony smirked back. Shit, Tony better not be implying what Bucky thought he was. Did he suspect Bucky’s feelings for Clint? "I'm a perfectly competent fighter."  
  
Tony rolled his eyes. "... I rest my point." His faceplate snapped back into place and he blasted into a knot of doombots, obliterating them with a few quick bursts and Bucky got back to business.

* * * * *  >>\----------> * * * * **

Movie night was especially crowded that night and Bucky had wound up sharing the smaller couch with Clint – both a blessing and a curse. After the scare earlier in the day, he wanted to keep an eye on him, but on previous movie nights, Clint had used him as a pillow.

Tonight, he was braiding Bucky’s hair and he glared at anyone who looked like they were about to say _anything_ about it. If it'd been anybody else Bucky would have torn his head away, but his skin had heated in a blush he couldn’t quite hide – not with Clint gathering up all his hair to play with - and Clint’s fingers scraped his scalp soothingly and it was the best thing ever and he was already melting, his brain was turning to mush. Nothing could make this better -  
  
“Bucky's got the prettiest hair,” Clint said. A flutter started in Bucky’s stomach, a swoop that made his heart skip a beat, and he tried to quash it down. Clint kept saying the best things. You didn’t play with someone’s hair and say things like that unless it meant something, right? "Course, Tony’s goatee is totally on point."  
  
And then he'd say things like that. Shit. Did Bucky mean anything? Or was it all inside his head and one sided?  
  
“Oh, Clint, see if you can give him a French braid – you need the practice,” Natasha said. She was curled up in an armchair, not even watching the movie but flipping through a book instead. “Last time you did mine, it fell out.”  
  
“It did not!” Clint protested. Natasha’s lips quirked and Clint muttered. “I’ll show her.”  
  
Bucky’s stomach roiled. Him and Nat were the only ones with hair long enough to play with, which meant Bucky wasn’t really that special. In fact, if their other teammates had long hair, he was sure Clint would play with theirs too. Thinking more on it, the more Bucky realized that Clint was very tactile with everyone. It wasn’t just the flirtations and compliments which he gave out freely, it was also his touches.  
  
And Bucky could see nothing different in his and Clint’s interactions to set them apart.  
  
Bucky was just going to have to face it.  
  
He and Clint were friends but nothing more. He missed all of Bucky’s flirtations – was it obliviousness or Clint trying to spare his feelings? Bucky had the feeling he knew the real answer already. And the things he said and did – well, Bucky now had more proof than he needed that there was nothing special about him. Anyone would have done in a pinch.  
  
Still, he didn’t have the heart to shrug Clint off, even if the rest of the night was a little more melancholy than it had started.  
  
As soon as the movie ended, he stood and left, eager – for perhaps the first time – to find the privacy and silence of his all too empty apartment.

* * * * * *  >>\----------> * * * * **

“So,” Steve said slowly. He’d cornered Bucky down in the gym. Not the range because Bucky had started avoiding the range. For… reasons. And now, he wasn’t telling Steve. “What’s up with you and Clint anyway?”

“What’s up? What makes you think anything is up?” Bucky said, sending a punch Steve’s way as they sparred.

“You’re all worked up, but you’ve got no focus, Buck,” Steve said, easily dodging the punch and sweeping a leg out. Bucky rolled back and glared. “Think it’s fair to say that _some_ thing is up. And since you’ve been avoiding Clint – “

“Not avoiding him,” Bucky grumbled, jabbing at Steve.

Steve blocked him. Easily. _Again._ Steve really wasn’t wrong about Bucky’s lack of focus.

“You are. We’ve all noticed it. You two were thick as thieves, then suddenly, you can’t stand to be in the same room with him? Come on, Buck. You can talk to me,” Steve said, backing away.

“I’m not _avoiding_ him,” Bucky insisted. “I’m staying out of his goddamn way.”

“Why?”

Bucky deflated. “Because I like him and it’s pretty clear he doesn’t return my feelings. I’m not going to push where I’m not wanted.”

“Buck – “ Steve said gently.

“No!” Bucky pointed at him angrily, then turned and punched the wall.

Steve stood beside him and sighed. “He does like you, you know. All those things he’s always saying - ”

“No, Steve, don’t. Just. Don’t. He’s not saying those things because he’s sweet on me. He’s saying them to make me blush, or cheer me up. He doesn’t actually _mean_ any of it,” Bucky growled.

He stalked away, grabbed a towel and wiped himself down cursorily then tossed it at Steve’s face as he fled the gym, missing the look up that Steve made as he did.

* * * * * *  >>\----------> * * * * **

Nat cornered him before he made it ten steps down the hall. Of course, she didn’t make it _look_ like she was cornering him, but she leaned back against the wall, filing her nails, and he’d have to pass her to get to the elevator.

Bucky narrowed his eyes at her, but didn’t slow his steps even as he considered. Was it worth ignoring her? He made to brush past her and she murmured softly as he did.

“Are you giving up already, Barnes?”

He froze, which was a tactical error on his part. It gave Widow all the ammo she needed.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he tried anyway.

She rolled her eyes. “Come on, we can _all_ see the sexual tension between you and Clint. Except, I guess, you and Clint. Sometimes I wonder how the two of you were ever spies.”

“I’d say I was more a blunt instrument than a spy,” he retorted.

“Don’t deflect.” She pointed the nail file at him and his gaze dropped automatically, his body tensing. He had to force himself to relax. They were teammates. He was in no danger from Natasha. Well, no _real_ danger. Unless he’d fucked up really bad.

He opened his mouth to deny it yet again, but the words that came out were anything but: “What else is there left to do? I’ve tried everything I can think of - How the hell do I tell him I’m interested?"

“With Clint? Better take the direct approach,” said Nat.

“I asked him out on a date. There isn’t much more direct than that!” Bucky protested.

Natasha sighed, her eyes flicking behind Bucky, then back at his face. His back stiffened. Steve must be behind him and he was out of here if the two of them were intent on ganging up on him together.

She put the nail file away and patted his cheek sympathetically. “Don’t worry. I think you’ll get there.”

Turning her back to Bucky, she got into the elevator, Steve passing by Clint with a slap on the back, a mutter of ‘good luck’ before he slipped in behind her, leaving a confounded Bucky staring at the closing doors.

What had that meant -?

He whirled around to find Clint right behind him with a wondering gaze on his face.

“Uh… Clint… where’d you come from?” Bucky asked.

“Mmm… around. Maybe up.”

Up? Where up – oh _, oooooh_.

Dammit. He’d been in the rafters and Steve, the git, he’d known all along. Which meant… which meant Clint had heard everything – right? So… all or nothing? Clint was just standing there, in Bucky’s space, quiet as could be with this indecipherable look on his face.

What was there left to lose?

His breathing hitched, his eyes going wide as he stared up into Clint’s eyes before shifting down, caught on the movement of Clint’s tongue darting out to lick his lips and Bucky’s heart nearly stopped.

Without even thinking about it, Bucky found his hands reaching for Clint. His flesh hand brushed Clint’s cheek and… was that a stuttered breath?

“God, you’re killing me here,” Clint murmured before surging forward the scant distance between them, his lips meeting Bucky’s and oh – _oh_ , this was heaven.

Both hands came up now, cupping Clint’s face as they kissed. Bucky’s back hit the wall – when had they moved – as they gasped, drew away then back again, his eyes slipping closed.

Finally, they broke apart

Clint looked at him breathlessly. “Damn… why didn’t you just _say_ you were interested?”

“I’ve been _trying_ to, you punk,” Bucky said with fond exasperation. “I even asked you out on a date once.”  
  
“When did you – wait, that pizza place we went to a few weeks back?”  
  
“Yeah, that’s the one. I hadn’t even seen Steve’s email.”  
  
Clint groaned and dropped his head onto Bucky’s shoulder. “I’m an idiot.”  
  
“But you can be my idiot?” Bucky asked hesitantly. His hands had migrated around Clint’s waist, pulling him close and Clint shifted with a hum and nuzzled into Bucky’s neck.  
  
“Yeah, we can be each other’s idiots,” Clint said, his words muffled against Bucky’s skin. Bucky felt a grin pull at his mouth, unable to contain the giddy happiness he felt.  
  
Two seconds later, he yelped when Clint’s lips attached themselves to his neck and sucked hard. He gasped as Clint continued to work over the spot that Bucky hadn’t even realized was so sensitive, and he reflexively pulled Clint closer, his knees growing weak.  
  
Clint chuckled. “Guess you _are_ happy to see me.”

**Author's Note:**

> this was a little difficult because... i'm clueless about flirting. i have to be told when i'm being flirted with, i think people are just being friendly. 
> 
> but that actually gave me an ideas. I thought... what if the boys had no clue the other was flirting with each other because they're from different era's so their wires are getting crossed. i didn't quite pull that off buuuuuuut... feathers beta'd it for me and said he thought it worked anyway! 
> 
> i did attempt to look up some pick up line from the 40's. i failed.
> 
> p.s.  
> rebloggable [ tumblr link here ](https://pherryt.tumblr.com/post/184614574811/awww-flirting-no-marvel-post-winter-soldier)


End file.
